The Singapore Biennale 2016, with the theme “An Atlas of Mirrors”, was recently concluded on the 26th February 2017, having started on 27th October 2016. This was the fifth edition of the Singapore Biennale and I am glad that I managed to visit most of the artwork exhibitions present at Singapore Biennale 2016 before it ended. Looking back at my own personal Singapore Biennale visits, I covered four out of five editions, starting from year 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2016, with photographs that I took during my visits to Singapore Biennale curated and consolidated inside this Flickr collection.

The theme “An Atlas of Mirrors” for Singapore Biennale 2016, was on the instruments of vision and navigation to explore around the world used by the human race. The atlas was used by the human race to explore and venture all around the world, to discover the unknown and open up new chapters in history and time, not just in terms of landing on a new country, it’s also about the cultural, sociological and psychological revolution and evolution. As the human race used atlas and maps over centuries of exploration, scientific development and technology growth, coupled with more rapid and intense human movement around the world.

Do we know, how and where we see ourselves, see the world, see the future, from we we are right now? With the growth and boom of information technology, internet and social media, are we even learning more about each other from different parts of the world? Or have we retreated into mountains and caves, becoming even more isolated than the industrial revolution era? Do we need the mirror to constantly look at ourselves and ask ourselves questions?

Over my four visits to Singapore Biennale, from 2008 to 2016, they had always been an eye opener for me, not just for my eyes, also for my heart, mind and soul. There were times when some of the artworks by the artists were too deep and complex for me to understand and relate. There were also some artworks that clicked immediately with my mind, heart and soul. The Singapore Biennale is one mega arts event that allow me to explore and learn more about contemporary art in Singapore, the region and around the world.

Couple an atlas and mirror together, that’s the theme for Singapore Biennale 2016 “An Atlas of Mirrors”. While I can’t say that I have every answer to the things I said in my earlier paragraphs, at the very least, it pushed me to think beyond the views and experiences that I have inside me currently, in the business world, in my photography and in life.

Due to personal situations that happened in the last quarter of 2016 and early 2017, I wasn’t able to split my time and visit the Singapore Biennale 2016 a few times, to slowly absorb and understand the artists abstract artworks and the meanings behind them. I only managed to visit them just four days before her closing day. Nevertheless, I am very glad that I did it, feeding my my mind, heart and soul with contemporary art from Singapore Biennale.

Some of the artworks at Singapore Biennale 2016 connected with me in some ways or another, here are some of them

There are those who stay / There are those who go

The Great East Indiaman

Cooking the World

“If you can dream a better world you can make a better world or perhaps travel between them”

Black Forest 2016

History Repeats Itself

One Has to Wander through All the Outer Worlds to Reach the Innermost Shrine at the End

I leave you with this short video recording (that I did with the Canon EOS M5 review camera unit that I was reviewing during the time when I was at Singapore Biennale 2016) on the artwork produced by Melissa Tan from Singapore, titled “If you can dream a better world you can make a better world or perhaps travel between them”

As the Singapore Biennale 2016 concluded her fifth edition, have you ask yourself, from where you are right now, how do you visualise the world, and see for yourself where you are right now and into the future?

Singapore Biennale is drawing to a close this coming weekend of Saturday 15th February and Sunday 16th February. The Singapore Biennale journey had been a fun and interesting adventure for me, with many different photographs over the various unique, artistic, abstract and wonderful artworks by many different artists. If you haven’t visited the Singapore Biennale yet or haven’t visited all of the Singapore Biennale artworks, do come down to the various venues this coming weekend of 15th and 16th February 2014!

There are many exciting programs lined up for the Singapore Biennale Closing Weekend, check out their Facebook Events page for more details here! For the Singapore Biennale Closing Weekend, it is Free Admission and Extended Opening Hours!

1. From 14 – 15 Feb, gallery opening hours will be extended to 9pm for SB exhibits at the following venues: SAM, SAM at 8Q, NMS and TPM.

2. From 14 – 16 Feb, there will be free admission to the SB exhibits at the following venues: SAM, SAM at 8Q, NMS and TPM.

3. To sweeten the deal for SB visitors, there will be free admission for all from 14 – 16 Feb to the SB parallel exhibition, “A Changed World: Singapore Art 1950s – 1970s”. This gallery will also offer extended opening hours to 9pm for both 14 and 15 Feb.

Singapore Biennale 2013 – If The World Changed, the title of the 4th Edition of Singapore Biennale. In the 21st century, the pace of change, transformation and metamorphosis is at an unprecedented pace beyond any experience by any preceding generations. The changes are great and they are making changes to how we view our time and world in both the external and internal worlds of ours. Singapore Biennale 2013 explores this continuous changes with their artists line up through their own interpretations, meditations, reflections and making propositions through the displays of their artworks at Singapore Biennale 2013.

While this is the 4th edition of Singapore Biennale, this is the 3rd time I am following Singapore Biennale, with my first encounter in 2008 and second encounter in 2011. Here’s my Singapore Biennale photographs collection on Flickr! Singapore Biennale always intrigues me and I am amazed by the various artists artworks, their interpretations, thoughts, feelings and ideas through their marvellous and sometimes abstract artworks. In this constantly changing and evolving society, I am seeking to explore and capture the changes in Singapore’s history, heritage, architecture, landscapes and culture before they are changed into something else. Like the title for Singapore Biennale 2013 “If The World Changed”, I hope to seek inspiration and ideas from the various artists and their artworks to continue my own personal photojournalistic adventure in documenting, photographing, writing and sharing the old and new things in Singapore when it change.

I had just started photographing Singapore Biennale 2013 artworks and I hope to cover all of them during this exhibition period from 26th October 2013 to 16th February 2014. Along my journey during Singapore Biennale 2013, if I discover an artwork that strikes me deeply and emotionally, I will share it with my readers and followers here.

The artworks that I covered from 26th October 2013 to 2nd November 2013 were as follows (with the links to the respective artist’s bio and profile) –

Among the initial artworks that I visited and photographed, the artworks Road to Nirvana, Wormhole, Bamboo-Bonsai-ing and National Theatre @ 50, gave me a lot to ponder, reflect and explore it further. How will these different intriguing, amazing and wonderful artworks be able to give me the ideas and directions to capture Singapore’s changes better? While I seek an answer or many answers, I will continue to explore and share about Singapore Biennale 2013 here with my photographs and thoughts.

If you are visiting and exploring Singapore Biennale 2013, here are useful links and information for Singapore Biennale 2013

Singapore Biennale 2013 promisees to be an exciting and intriguing arts event and exhibition. Share it with your family, loved ones and friends, visit Singapore Biennale 2013 and explore “If The World Changed”. Do keep a lookout here on my photography site,Facebook Page, Instagram, Flickr and 500px when I share my Singapore Biennale 2013 journey, photographs, thoughts and feelings, in my journey to explore “If The World Changed”.

This beautiful and exciting festival started in 2008, with an overseas arts performance troupe performing in the night, hanging in the mid air and a part of the road in Singapore closed up for the people to watch them perform. That was Studio Festi from Italy performing in the inaugural Singapore Night Festival. Since then, I fell in love with the Singapore Night Festival and I was faithfully following the Singapore Night Festival from 2008 to the Singapore Night Festival 2012 today.

Looking back, let me recap and share with all my readers, the trilogy of the Singapore Night Festival

The Night Lights started in 2011, giving the Singapore Night Festival a greater wider displays of artworks and lightings. For a photographer, I just loved the different changing lightings and displays. It was very fun photographing in a challenging and dark environment. That’s what the Singapore Night Festival and Night Lights were all about, lights and arts performance in the night! I took many photographs during Singapore Night Festival from 2008 to 2012, check them out on my Flickr collection here!

The Singapore Night Festival 2012 and Night Lights 2012 started on 24th and 25th August 2012. It was a great hit with many people coming down the various locations, enjoying the artworks, lightings and displays with their family, loved ones and friends. From the number of visitors taking photographs at Singapore Night Festival 2012 and Night Lights 2012, it’s getting better and more popular event in Singapore, among the locals and overseas visitors!

Do not fret if you have not visited Singapore Night Festival 2012 and Night Lights 2012, part 2 of Singapore Night Festival 2012 and Night Lights 2012 is happening on Friday 31st August 2012 and Saturday 1st September 2012. An overseas arts performance troupe is going to perform at Singapore Night Festival 2012!! Check out the Singapore Night Festival website for more details and you can download the Singapore Night Festival 2012 guide for more information!!

The Singapore Night Festival and Night Lights are a great and awesome event to bring your family down to enjoy the arts and performances, the festivities and appreciation of the arts scene in Singapore. Do remember to visit the various museums too! What can you photograph and enjoy Singapore Night Festival 2012 and Night Lights 2012 ? Check out my photographs of Singapore Night Festival 2012 and Night Lights 2012 photo collection here on Flickr!

Mark down your calendars !! See you all at Singapore Night Festival 2012 and Night Lights 2012 on 31st August and 1st September 2012!!

Singapore Biennale 2011 may have ended recently and I used the very last day to rush down visiting/touring the other venues of Singapore Biennale 2011, Singapore Arts Museum and SAM at 8Q, before the beautiful artworks would no longer be around. Similar to my Biennale experiences at Old Kallang Airport, I was just as impressed and mesmerised by the artists art works at Singapore Arts Museum and SAM at 8Q.

Some artists works were very tangible and abstract, while some others were imagery and media connectivity. Each displayed their own unique artistic views and displays, from their point of view, embracing their deep thoughts, ideas and emotions. With their own uniqueness, I greatly admired 2 local artists works, Tan Pin Pin and Koh Nguang How, they brought back part of my childhood and teenage memories of growing up, remembering the history and changes of Singapore during my period of growing up.

I shall rest my writing and let my photographs from the wonderful and talented artists of Singapore Biennale 2011 share their artistic adventures